Good books for pre-vets?

[r00]

I am getting ready to go on a job for the summer that is completely unrelated to my future goal of going to vet school and I can safely say that I will probably have several hours a day on the bus where I can read...

So, in order to come back more prepared to find a job in a clinic (as well as for my future studies) I was wondering if there are any veterinary books you ladies and gents recommend... These could be collections of stories (hopefully some good and bad), medical books with terminology and some of the more basic/everyday things I will see in the clinic, etc...

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[DocDVMD]

Tell Me Where It Hurts by Dr. Nick Trout was great. It's a compilation of a bunch of interesting cases/stories with his opinions and tangents about different aspects of the profession interjected throughout.

 

[pennygirl]

All of James Herriot's books are excellent, but they are more for pleasure reading. He was an excellent writer, and a vet in England like in the '30s or something. I'm reading his book "All Creatures Great and Small" right now.

 

[bunnity]

I'll second James Herriot - he is hilarious.

If you want to read a book that shows a lot about how animals contributed to human medicine, "Every Second Counts" is the story of the research leading up to the first human heart transplant. I loved it because I'm a cardiac technician, but I think anyone interested in human or animal medicine would find it interesting.

 

[teatime]

I second "Tell me where it hurts"- it gives an interesting side to how specialists practice vs. primary care vets who have ongoing relationships with their patients and clients.

 

[OnceBitten]

All of James Herriot's books are excellent, but they are more for pleasure reading. He was an excellent writer, and a vet in England like in the '30s or something. I'm reading his book "All Creatures Great and Small" right now.

I have to agree on James Herriot, as well. I loved All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and All Things Wise and Wonderful. No one can make you laugh out loud and cry at the same time like he can. He tells a lot of normal life stories (one of my favorites being the story of sneaking out to see his newborn son when he was in the military and being HORRIFIED when he saw him because he was still all red and wrinkly and had a misshapen head from the birth LOL) while giving a good window into the life of an old time country vet at the same time. I've read these books a handful of times each, and they never get old.

 

[smm482]

Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched: Life and Lessons at the World's Premier School for Exotic Animal Trainers by Amy Sutherland

This book isn't going to give you huge insight into vet med for exotics, but does offer a really neat glimpse into exotic animal husbandry and training. I am primarily interested in equine/small animals though so I'd be interested to hear what someone with exotics experience thinks about the book. Regardless, it's a fun read and you can learn some things too.

I also really love all of Temple Grandin's books. She is an animal scientist that also happens to be autistic. She has been influential in the study of animal behavior and has helped to design a lot of the slaughter houses in the US. That is a very, very brief bio and does not do her justice! Her stuff is very interesting and gives you a new perspective on interpreting animal behavior.

Enjoy your Summer!

 

[twelvetigers]

Here's a link to a lovely thread from last year!

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=528411

 

[Shanomong]

Here's a link to a lovely thread from last year!

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=528411

Oy... I'm trying to penny pinch right now but books are my weakness... this threads gonna kill me 😛

Hopefully I can find lots of old beat up used copies...

 

[Pandacinny]

Don't forget about the library - always a good option! Also, if they don't have the book, you can get it through interlibrary loan. That's how I studied to take my tech exam. I just borrowed lots of vet tech text books and studied like crazy for a few weeks.

 

[lag117]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here but I thought I'd add another book. If you're interested in exotics or zoo animal medicine this is an excellent book. The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes by Lucy Spelman DVM. It was recommended to me by a zoo vet and it's a really fun read.
-Lauren

 

[smm482]

I checked out the thread from last year and If Wishes Were Horses came up a bunch of times. I'm going to see if I can find it at the lib, but otherwise I'll order a copy off Amazon and let you guys know how it is.

 

[r00]

Thanks for the link to the old thread...

I ordered Tell Me Where It Hurts and All Creatures Great and Small off of Half.com... I also REALLY wanted to order Veterinary Medical Terminology by Dawn E. Christenson because someone recommended it in one of the other threads (I think it was things to do the summer before vet school) but it is quite pricey for a casual read...

 

[twelvetigers]

I think I saw the terminology book on amazon for $3.11 and up used, so even with $3 shipping that's not too bad. You might look there.

Oh, and apparently the "If wishes were hoses" book is a bit depressing, just to warn you... lol. I was going to read it but it must have been shelved incorrectly...

 

[david594]

If you can find yourself a cheap copy "The Five Minute Veterinary Consult, Canine and Feline" is really pretty handy to have on the shelf.

Its great reference to have around to look up some of the diseases/disorders you hear about in passing at work. IE: "The heart murmor in your kitten could be a PDA..."

 

[DocDVMD]

Thought of a few more. These are more casual, fun reads related to vet med or animals.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans (probably one of my all time favorite books!)

Marley and Me by John Grogan (not the movie, hehe)

Also Dr. Nicholas Dodman is a well-known animal behavior vet at Tufts, and I'm currently reading his book The Well Adjusted Dog. Jon Katz has a couple books about his border collies as well as some advice on training, and those are pretty good as well.

 

[DVMorBust]

The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans (probably one of my all time favorite books!)

D:

OK, in fairness it is a good book - but my dad pulled the dirty trick of switching out all my saddle clubs with this book on a road trip (I was maybe 10?).

Yeah.

He hadn't read it, just wanted me to be more 'at my level'. *headdesk* there's a reason why books written for adults are...for...adults...

 

[ImaJerseyGirl]

.

 

[DocDVMD]

Haha I'm sorry you guys were exposed to it so young! I only read it about two years ago 😛

 

[cuitlamiztli]

If you like or are interested wildlife medicine... Appointment at the Ends of the World by William B. Karesh and The Trouble With Lions by Jerry Haigh.

For a different look at animals... Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home by Rupert Sheldrake. It's been a while since I've read it, but it was interesting. You could also just go and browse your library's animal section and pick up anything that looks interesting; I've found a lot of good books that way. Like Cats Are Not Peas by Laura Gould, and quite a few others that I can't remember right now.

And I'll also add another recommendation for Tell Me Where It Hurts 🙂

 

[Lechatnoir]

Tell Me Where It Hurts by Dr. Nick Trout was great. It's a compilation of a bunch of interesting cases/stories with his opinions and tangents about different aspects of the profession interjected throughout.

I agree I just finished this book last night and it's a great quick read.